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From: tombre@crin.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.news.group,net.columbia
Subject: Re: A vote against net.challenger - reasons included
Message-ID: <143@crin.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 4-Feb-86 11:53:26 EST
Article-I.D.: crin.143
Posted: Tue Feb  4 11:53:26 1986
Date-Received: Thu, 6-Feb-86 20:47:28 EST
References: <981@burl.UUCP>
Reply-To: tombre@crin.UUCP (Karl Tombre)
Organization: C.R.I.N., Nancy, France
Lines: 36
Xref: watmath net.news.group:5015 net.columbia:2042

In article <981@burl.UUCP> rcj@burl.UUCP (Curtis Jackson) writes:

>to net.challenger, but consider it from this light:  Why are the people who
>died in the Challenger any more heroes than the crew who successfully repaired
>the wounded satellite last year?  Why do you have to die to become a hero
>(particularly in the U.S.)?  

At last of voice of reason in the american choir! OK, the space shuttle
disaster was a sad thing. And 6 of those who died were professionals,
knowing what the risk was with this kind of work. All these astronauts
are doing a beautiful work, also when the flight succeeds.

And now how about all those who die in other accidents? Take car accidents.
When you step into your car to drive to the next town, and a drunken
car-driver crashes with you, and you die, this is more sad! In fact, the
loss of a life is always very sad. But why should you become a hero because
of a particular type of death? 

This is perhaps a very strong sentiment in the USA, but we find it here too.
For example, a living policeman, however successful in his work against
crime, is not known or particularly appreciated. But if he is shot by a
gangster, he becomes a national hero almost... And US and french troops sent
to Beirut were not so popular, until a car bomb killed them. Then you hear
that they gave their life for their country. Did they? Perhaps, but not more
than all those who remain alive...

-- 
--- Karl Tombre @ CRIN (Centre de Recherche en Informatique de Nancy)
UUCP:    ...!vmucnam!crin!tombre  or    ...!inria!crin!tombre
COSAC:   crin/tombre
POST:    Karl Tombre, CRIN, B.P. 239, 54506 VANDOEUVRE CEDEX, France

Les plus desesperes sont les chants les plus beaux,
Et j'en sais d'immortels qui sont de purs sanglots.

       Alfred de Musset.